Far better conference my ***. We lost a top 25 program and replaced it with a last place program. The team that tied with them for the title has had almost total roster turnover.

We’re p-ssing away a resurgent season. Starting fast and finishing near the bottom (Thursday) in a depleted league isn’t progress. It’s leveling off. Instead of picking fights AGAIN with the beat writer maybe just answer the questions and figure out how to save the *** season.

Good points and for what it's worth, also say him say something towards the radio commentary team on his way out yesterday...

Being a sore loser is one thing, but being one and not realizing you are part of the problem is another.

They desperately need to make some tweaks and figure something out over the next three weeks or this will be yet again another squandered season of what could have been

---If you need it, you don't have it. If you have it you don't need it. But if you need and you don't have it, you want it. If you don't have any of it, then you really don't know how to get more to get started then do you?---

They desperately need to make some tweaks and figure something out over the next three weeks or this will be yet again another squandered season of what could have been

This is where I don't get the repeated pessimism from some of you-in what ways has the program not responded after difficult stretches like this? There has always been an answer. What makes some of you assume there won't be?

I get the frustration, but there's an awful lot of confirmation bias in opposition to what the historical evidence shows. We're missing the forest through the trees here.

"[. . .] and it would be foolish to gobble up sliders when there’s a steak hidden in the fridge." -Kirk Wessler

They desperately need to make some tweaks and figure something out over the next three weeks or this will be yet again another squandered season of what could have been

This is where I don't get the repeated pessimism from some of you-in what ways has the program not responded after difficult stretches like this? There has always been an answer. What makes some of you assume there won't be?

I get the frustration, but there's an awful lot of confirmation bias in opposition to what the historical evidence shows. We're missing the forest through the trees here.

How can you "get the frustration" and then say what you say. It seems like you dont understand the frustration and pessimism some have, which is fine but I dont understand that stance

I'm so *** sick of the young and tired comments...those are just more excuses for people that are ok with being average or mediocre.

When will it end?! STOP providing built in excuses for why we haven't gotten better over the course of the season...

If it's not one thing its something else!

I don’t see it as making excuses. I see it as sharing an obvious observation that the defense has gotten dramatically worse since reducing the rotation, even though it was the softer defenders getting pulled from it.

I'm so *** sick of the young and tired comments...those are just more excuses for people that are ok with being average or mediocre.

When will it end?! STOP providing built in excuses for why we haven't gotten better over the course of the season...

If it's not one thing its something else!

I don’t see it as making excuses. I see it as sharing an obvious observation that the defense has gotten dramatically worse since reducing the rotation, even though it was the softer defenders getting pulled from it.

I'm so *** sick of the young and tired comments...those are just more excuses for people that are ok with being average or mediocre.

When will it end?! STOP providing built in excuses for why we haven't gotten better over the course of the season...

If it's not one thing its something else!

People making observations doesn't mean it's an excuse....for that matter just because you are sick of a comment doesn't mean it's not true either. I honestly don't know but sometimes that's what it looks like to me.

We were talking about the corner being turned after the road win and Loyola win....now we are in a funk for some reason with the same guys who won those games......I don't have the answers to our issues but I understand the frustration

In terms of this season, standing alone, yes we are going in the wrong direction. However, as a program, looking at the overall picture, we are heading in the right direction. Personally, I thought this season would be a success if we could finish in the middle to upper in conference and have 18 wins. Right now we are right there, not happy with the last few games but still feeling good about the overall direction.

It's easy to have faith in yourself and have discipline when you're a winner, when you're number one. What you've got to have is faith and discipline when you're not yet a winner.
Vince Lombardi

I'm so *** sick of the young and tired comments...those are just more excuses for people that are ok with being average or mediocre.

When will it end?! STOP providing built in excuses for why we haven't gotten better over the course of the season...

If it's not one thing its something else!

The we are young does not fly with me anymore , continuing to make the same mistakes and coach not really changing much of anything to me is a very serious problem that will not go away anytime soon. We have a serious talent problem at several key positions.

I'm so *** sick of the young and tired comments...those are just more excuses for people that are ok with being average or mediocre.

When will it end?! STOP providing built in excuses for why we haven't gotten better over the course of the season...

If it's not one thing its something else!

The we are young does not fly with me anymore , continuing to make the same mistakes and coach not really changing much of anything to me is a very serious problem that will not go away anytime soon. We have a serious talent problem at several key positions.

These comments will stop next season when we have more than 2 upperclassman playing in the rotation, have more upperclassman than underclassman, and aren't the youngest team in the valley anymore. Until then...am i disappointed with how we have played the last three games, yes. But i am thrilled with how this season has gone (if we can finish strong...big "if, jury still out). 9-9 and in the 4/5 game starting one freshman and two sophs (with two other sophs and a freshman as your other main rotation players) is more than a good enough result for this season.

We've improved every season. 3 wins in the first year, 7 last year. If we can get to 9 this year, I fully expect to be around 11+ next year and competing for bigger and bigger goals. Also, we have three more years of Elijah Childs...I'm more than happy right now.

All that being said, we have to beat ISU missing two of their three best players.

Remember that atmosphere when we played against Michigan, having a stretch of play where it actually got loud enough that we forced them to call Timeout.

These comments will stop next season when we have more than 2 upperclassman playing in the rotation, have more upperclassman than underclassman, and aren't the youngest team in the valley anymore. Until then...am i disappointed with how we have played the last three games, yes. But i am thrilled with how this season has gone (if we can finish strong...big "if, jury still out). 9-9 and in the 4/5 game starting one freshman and two sophs (with two other sophs and a freshman as your other main rotation players) is more than a good enough result for this season.

We've improved every season. 3 wins in the first year, 7 last year. If we can get to 9 this year, I fully expect to be around 11+ next year and competing for bigger and bigger goals. Also, we have three more years of Elijah Childs...I'm more than happy right now.

All that being said, we have to beat ISU missing two of their three best players.

Will the comments stop though? I am not so sure about that...sure, the staff & folks won't be able to use the "young" spin anymore, but I am more than certain that if and when we do not win, there will be some other excuse that starts being thrown around...

SIU has no Seniors. Loyola is getting solid production from guys that aren't Seniors...as are other league schools, yet, we seem to be the only ones that are consistently harping on the team being young.

At some point, the merits have to speak for themselves. We were in 2nd place and have not won a game in February with only ONE Freshman getting any PT on the roster and guys who are at least 50+ games in (or more).

Its hard to be thrilled when Wardle keeps passing the buck off elsewhere as to why we fall apart in 2nd halves of games or have lapses in judgment or have no leadership capabilities or don't listen to what is being presented to them as a group --- the list goes on and on....and then you begin to wonder, is it the players he recruited, is it the message....What exactly is it that is not resonating to where we get a concerted consistent effort night in and night out...and no, that does not have to do with youth, and it certainly does not have to do with endurance levels.

I agree that we have started to go in the right direction, but you can't just get to 7 league wins and say, oh, well, since we already met expectations, I guess we can just pack it in and coast the rest of the way.

As Realfan said, the bigger issue is that in the games we lose (and even some we squeaked out) we are continuing to make the same mistakes in February that we made well back in Nov-Dec, and that is an alarming recipe for failure in the future.

And as I said in December, the non conf means next to nothing without doing something in conference...and given Missouri State's woes, ISU & SIU's injury bug, Valpo's acclimation to the league, UNI having a horrendous year, and both Indiana State and Evansville treading water, I am sorry if my expectations changed and I expected to be better than .500 with 4 games to go.

As far as 'the answer'...it needs to happen now...again, 4 games left...and then STL...and we desperately need to find a way to play better for 40 minutes ---- not 20 both at home and especially on the road, because no one is going to feel sorry for us while they kick our teeth in away from Carver...

5 wins away from Carver and 9 losses, and largely non-competitive in all the 9 losses except 2....

Have to find a way to get up and stay up for the road games...STL is coming and its coming quickly, and if we continue to make excuses instead of make changes, it will be over just as quickly.

But for you guys that don't seem to be concerned, there's always next year right?

---If you need it, you don't have it. If you have it you don't need it. But if you need and you don't have it, you want it. If you don't have any of it, then you really don't know how to get more to get started then do you?---

These comments will stop next season when we have more than 2 upperclassman playing in the rotation, have more upperclassman than underclassman, and aren't the youngest team in the valley anymore. Until then...am i disappointed with how we have played the last three games, yes. But i am thrilled with how this season has gone (if we can finish strong...big "if, jury still out). 9-9 and in the 4/5 game starting one freshman and two sophs (with two other sophs and a freshman as your other main rotation players) is more than a good enough result for this season.

We've improved every season. 3 wins in the first year, 7 last year. If we can get to 9 this year, I fully expect to be around 11+ next year and competing for bigger and bigger goals. Also, we have three more years of Elijah Childs...I'm more than happy right now.

All that being said, we have to beat ISU missing two of their three best players.

Will the comments stop though? I am not so sure about that...sure, the staff & folks won't be able to use the "young" spin anymore, but I am more than certain that if and when we do not win, there will be some other excuse that starts being thrown around...

SIU has no Seniors. Loyola is getting solid production from guys that aren't Seniors...as are other league schools, yet, we seem to be the only ones that are consistently harping on the team being young.

At some point, the merits have to speak for themselves. We were in 2nd place and have not won a game in February with only ONE Freshman getting any PT on the roster and guys who are at least 50+ games in (or more).

Its hard to be thrilled when Wardle keeps passing the buck off elsewhere as to why we fall apart in 2nd halves of games or have lapses in judgment or have no leadership capabilities or don't listen to what is being presented to them as a group --- the list goes on and on....and then you begin to wonder, is it the players he recruited, is it the message....What exactly is it that is not resonating to where we get a concerted consistent effort night in and night out...and no, that does not have to do with youth, and it certainly does not have to do with endurance levels.

I agree that we have started to go in the right direction, but you can't just get to 7 league wins and say, oh, well, since we already met expectations, I guess we can just pack it in and coast the rest of the way.

As Realfan said, the bigger issue is that in the games we lose (and even some we squeaked out) we are continuing to make the same mistakes in February that we made well back in Nov-Dec, and that is an alarming recipe for failure in the future.

And as I said in December, the non conf means next to nothing without doing something in conference...and given Missouri State's woes, ISU & SIU's injury bug, Valpo's acclimation to the league, UNI having a horrendous year, and both Indiana State and Evansville treading water, I am sorry if my expectations changed and I expected to be better than .500 with 4 games to go.

As far as 'the answer'...it needs to happen now...again, 4 games left...and then STL...and we desperately need to find a way to play better for 40 minutes ---- not 20 both at home and especially on the road, because no one is going to feel sorry for us while they kick our teeth in away from Carver...

5 wins away from Carver and 9 losses, and largely non-competitive in all the 9 losses except 2....

Have to find a way to get up and stay up for the road games...STL is coming and its coming quickly, and if we continue to make excuses instead of make changes, it will be over just as quickly.

But for you guys that don't seem to be concerned, there's always next year right?

I'm not going to argue back and forth. We clearly have very different opinions and neither of us are going to change each others minds. I do think that your expectations are a bit unrealistic. If we go 2-2 in the last 4 and win 1 game in STL, that will get us to 20 wins. I'll repeat that...20 wins. I don't care who we've played or how we've looked in some of the losses. Brian Wardle was given absolutely nothing when he got here except for a very raw Donte Thomas and Ka'Daryll Bell. We got five wins that first year. We are going to have a 13-15 win improvement over the past two seasons.

I am happy with how we've played in the last few games...No. We had a bad game at Drake which there is no excuse for, then we lost back to back road games (one where I don't even remember the last time we won and the other against the team in second in the Valley).

Three games do not define a season. There are always going to be bumps in the road. You can't play well the entire season. There are always ups and downs. It is all how you respond. If we go 1-3 or worse in the final 4 games then I will be upset, but 2-2 or better and avoiding Thursday and I am thrilled with the state of this program as it is right now and looking forward to even more success next year.

Remember that atmosphere when we played against Michigan, having a stretch of play where it actually got loud enough that we forced them to call Timeout.

I'm not going to argue back and forth. We clearly have very different opinions and neither of us are going to change each others minds. I do think that your expectations are a bit unrealistic. If we go 2-2 in the last 4 and win 1 game in STL, that will get us to 20 wins. I'll repeat that...20 wins. I don't care who we've played or how we've looked in some of the losses. Brian Wardle was given absolutely nothing when he got here except for a very raw Donte Thomas and Ka'Daryll Bell. We got five wins that first year. We are going to have a 13-15 win improvement over the past two seasons.

You're right...we aren't going to agree, but winning at home against Drake (it was a home game) and winning at a poor Northern Iowa is not unrealistic expectations...

I expected to lose at SIU, but it makes it that much more **** after losing at home to Drake and in Cedar Falls to two teams we should have beaten but did not show up for.

And I get what you're saying about improving, but don't make Wardle out to be void of criticism as it was mainly his doing to make the cupboard bare when he came in...HE and he alone chose to send several guys packing...so while he can be given praise for keeping Donte here and for getting some talent in (Childs, Brown), he can also be criticized for the way he handled a few guys before their departure as well as several recruiting misses.

I don't expect to hit on every recruit, and I don't expect to win every game, but there are some things that just absolutely can not be overlooked, and while we may be getting better in the W-L column, its nowhere near enough for me to start giving people a free pass around here....coaches, players, or otherwise.

---If you need it, you don't have it. If you have it you don't need it. But if you need and you don't have it, you want it. If you don't have any of it, then you really don't know how to get more to get started then do you?---

I'm not going to argue back and forth. We clearly have very different opinions and neither of us are going to change each others minds. I do think that your expectations are a bit unrealistic. If we go 2-2 in the last 4 and win 1 game in STL, that will get us to 20 wins. I'll repeat that...20 wins. I don't care who we've played or how we've looked in some of the losses. Brian Wardle was given absolutely nothing when he got here except for a very raw Donte Thomas and Ka'Daryll Bell. We got five wins that first year. We are going to have a 13-15 win improvement over the past two seasons.

And I get what you're saying about improving, but don't make Wardle out to be void of criticism as it was mainly his doing to make the cupboard bare when he came in...HE and he alone chose to send several guys packing...so while he can be given praise for keeping Donte here and for getting some talent in (Childs, Brown), he can also be criticized for the way he handled a few guys before their departure as well as several recruiting misses.

Just to play devils advocate, what have any of those guys that he ran off(other than Cunningham who wasnt coming back no matter who the coach was) done since they left BU? Maybe Xzavier Taylor would be the only one worth anything. I mean we cant say for sure that we would be in a better spot with keeping some of them here, and we could be even 1 more year behind the curve if that happened. Its all speculation.

The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a mans determination
-Tommy Lasorda

My problem is it seems like most on here think we are losing because we are young and that will get better over time. Most of the teams in this league have good young players on their roster that seem to be more consistent then the ones on our team. How are we going to be a better team next season when we lose one of our best interior players on this team and as of now only have Eli and Koch for those positions. We also have too many guards that shoot and pass the ball poorly, that should have gotten a lot better by now yet it has not. Wardles season 4 at this time appears to be another mediocre one unless he has a couple of studs lined up to play next season . Coach needs to free up a few more rides period.

My problem is it seems like most on here think we are losing because we are young and that will get better over time. Most of the teams in this league have good young players on their roster that seem to be more consistent then the ones on our team. How are we going to be a better team next season when we lose one of our best interior players on this team and as of now only have Eli and Koch for those positions. We also have too many guards that shoot and pass the ball poorly, that should have gotten a lot better by now yet it has not. Wardles season 4 at this time appears to be another mediocre one unless he has a couple of studs lined up to play next season . Coach needs to free up a few more rides period.

While I agree with you on talent evaluation, freeing up more rides hasn't necessarily proven to be effective at Bradley, especially in recent memory...

But yes, we need more talent period, because losing Donte while returning everyone plus Brummett does not equal a top 3 finish.

Also, placing another Freshman on the All-Freshman team for the 3rd year in a row should mean something, but we have not been able to build on that. One of the guys from 3 years ago now barely sees the floor, and another couple are role players...

Doesn't seem much like upward movement and development.

And I harped on this during the Les tenure and will harp on it consistently again....As much as recruiting the right players helps, we really need to develop and get the most out of the guys who are here as well....

A continuous revolving door does no good for no one.

---If you need it, you don't have it. If you have it you don't need it. But if you need and you don't have it, you want it. If you don't have any of it, then you really don't know how to get more to get started then do you?---

My problem is it seems like most on here think we are losing because we are young and that will get better over time. Most of the teams in this league have good young players on their roster that seem to be more consistent then the ones on our team. How are we going to be a better team next season when we lose one of our best interior players on this team and as of now only have Eli and Koch for those positions. We also have too many guards that shoot and pass the ball poorly, that should have gotten a lot better by now yet it has not. Wardles season 4 at this time appears to be another mediocre one unless he has a couple of studs lined up to play next season . Coach needs to free up a few more rides period.

While I agree with you on talent evaluation, freeing up more rides hasn't necessarily proven to be effective at Bradley, especially in recent memory...

But yes, we need more talent period, because losing Donte while returning everyone plus Brummett does not equal a top 3 finish.

Also, placing another Freshman on the All-Freshman team for the 3rd year in a row should mean something, but we have not been able to build on that. One of the guys from 3 years ago now barely sees the floor, and another couple are role players...

Doesn't seem much like upward movement and development.

And I harped on this during the Les tenure and will harp on it consistently again....As much as recruiting the right players helps, we really need to develop and get the most out of the guys who are here as well....

A continuous revolving door does no good for no one.
[/quote
Looking at Wardles first class I would have to say only DLO has improved a lot.
His second class shows a slight improvement by everybody yet still have a long way to go as far as consistency.
His 3rd class has one really promising player in ELI and another one that I think can really help in RS. Next season will give us a better idea.
His 4th class has what appears to be a great freshman athlete that has potential. He needs 2 difference makers to get us out of mediocrity or over the hump.

Everyone should be disappointed we were not able to get one of the drake games or snag another roadie so far. But to refute obvious facts that the team has improved and the conference has improved is just not accurate.

There simply isn’t a terribly weak team in this years Valley. Every game is a battle. In the last several years a great majority of the league was very weak.

Everyone should be disappointed we were not able to get one of the drake games or snag another roadie so far. But to refute obvious facts that the team has improved and the conference has improved is just not accurate.

There simply isn’t a terribly weak team in this years Valley. Every game is a battle. In the last several years a great majority of the league was very weak.

Everyone should be disappointed we were not able to get one of the drake games or snag another roadie so far. But to refute obvious facts that the team has improved and the conference has improved is just not accurate.

There simply isn’t a terribly weak team in this years Valley. Every game is a battle. In the last several years a great majority of the league was very weak.

4 games left. Still time to improve on a few things before St Louis.

I don't think anyone is refuting about the team improving, but to what extent are they improving ---- and I am taking a longer view in that I keep asking...how in the hell are we going to replace Donte Thomas and also find more scoring?!

I am hoping of all hope that Nate Kennell has a come to Jesus in the Summer and has a Jeremy Crouch like trajectory in his final two years here, but I am not sure...I mean Crouch's biggest issue was the talent level in front of him kept him on the bench much of his 1st two years, and Kennell has none of those obstacles.

Like you said though, 4 games left and there is time, but there is a whole lot to improve on if we want to be serious about trying to win 3 games in 3 days....that includes getting some more minutes here and there for our below rotation guys where they don't kill us. (Lundy, van Bree, Stip if he returns)

---If you need it, you don't have it. If you have it you don't need it. But if you need and you don't have it, you want it. If you don't have any of it, then you really don't know how to get more to get started then do you?---

Everyone should be disappointed we were not able to get one of the drake games or snag another roadie so far. But to refute obvious facts that the team has improved and the conference has improved is just not accurate.

There simply isn’t a terribly weak team in this years Valley. Every game is a battle. In the last several years a great majority of the league was very weak.

4 games left. Still time to improve on a few things before St Louis.

I don't think anyone is refuting about the team improving, but to what extent are they improving ---- and I am taking a longer view in that I keep asking...how in the hell are we going to replace Donte Thomas and also find more scoring?!

I am hoping of all hope that Nate Kennell has a come to Jesus in the Summer and has a Jeremy Crouch like trajectory in his final two years here, but I am not sure...I mean Crouch's biggest issue was the talent level in front of him kept him on the bench much of his 1st two years, and Kennell has none of those obstacles.

Like you said though, 4 games left and there is time, but there is a whole lot to improve on if we want to be serious about trying to win 3 games in 3 days....that includes getting some more minutes here and there for our below rotation guys where they don't kill us. (Lundy, van Bree, Stip if he returns)

I share the same concerns about being a better team next year. Donte is a ton and will be very tough to replace.